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#GeraldsDevotional
Be Careful of What You Ask For
Be Careful of What You Ask For
Up until this point in this story of these two kingdoms, Israel has been flirting with disaster. Earlier in chapter 7 we saw how she put on a form of Godliness, claiming to be the people of God while she simultaneously colluded with pagan nations and worshiped their gods.
She even formed alliances with them for help as if they were her providers and protectors. At the end of the chapter, God showed us that her allies were actually her enemies and that they would eventually laugh at her.
Today we will see that prediction come true. In spite of all
Today we will see that prediction come true. In spite of all
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐫𝐠𝐮𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧
𝙒𝙝𝙮 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙝𝙪𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙥𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙨𝙢
I think about David Hume a lot.
Probably more than I should.
I suppose it’s because most atheists are appealing to his arguments whether they known it or not… so it’s important to be familiar with where all these ideas come from.
Anyways, I was thinking about David Hume and his famous argument against miracles a few days ago and a new thought occurred to me.
I was thinking about how Hume argued that we have no experience of miracles ever occurring, but we do have abundant experience of people being mistaken, lying, or misinterpreting events.
Therefore, he argued, it’s always more reasonable to believe that someone is wrong about witnessing a miracle than that a genuine suspension of the laws of nature has taken place.
I’ve responded to Hume’s argument against miracles elsewhere, but what struck me was the logic of it all… That logic, taken by itself, is sound.
“If we only see evidence of X and we have no evidence of Y, we should think X.”
As I reflected on this, I realized that this same principle, when applied consistently, actually leads straight to theism.
The more I thought about this, the clearer it became that this simple observation, rooted in the same principle Hume used against miracles, has profound implications.
If we only ever observe minds causing things, and we never see non-minds doing so, then the only rational inference is that the first cause of everything was also a mind.
What began as a passing thought has turned into what could become a significant argument for God. I’ve tried to write it out carefully and clearly here. I’ll warn you now that some parts are technical, but I’ve aimed to keep it accessible.
Let’s begin with the syllogism 🧵
𝙒𝙝𝙮 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙝𝙪𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙥𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙨𝙢
I think about David Hume a lot.
Probably more than I should.
I suppose it’s because most atheists are appealing to his arguments whether they known it or not… so it’s important to be familiar with where all these ideas come from.
Anyways, I was thinking about David Hume and his famous argument against miracles a few days ago and a new thought occurred to me.
I was thinking about how Hume argued that we have no experience of miracles ever occurring, but we do have abundant experience of people being mistaken, lying, or misinterpreting events.
Therefore, he argued, it’s always more reasonable to believe that someone is wrong about witnessing a miracle than that a genuine suspension of the laws of nature has taken place.
I’ve responded to Hume’s argument against miracles elsewhere, but what struck me was the logic of it all… That logic, taken by itself, is sound.
“If we only see evidence of X and we have no evidence of Y, we should think X.”
As I reflected on this, I realized that this same principle, when applied consistently, actually leads straight to theism.
The more I thought about this, the clearer it became that this simple observation, rooted in the same principle Hume used against miracles, has profound implications.
If we only ever observe minds causing things, and we never see non-minds doing so, then the only rational inference is that the first cause of everything was also a mind.
What began as a passing thought has turned into what could become a significant argument for God. I’ve tried to write it out carefully and clearly here. I’ll warn you now that some parts are technical, but I’ve aimed to keep it accessible.
Let’s begin with the syllogism 🧵
Premise 1: A necessary being exists and initiated the causal sequence that is responsible for all of reality.
Premise 2: This necessary being either has intentionality or it does not.
Premise 3: If the necessary being has intentionality, then God exists. If it does not have intentionality, then God does not exist.
Premise 4: In all human experience, minds initiate causal sequences; non-minds do not.
Premise 5: Therefore, all evidence supports that the necessary being has intentionality.
Premise 6: If there is overwhelming evidence for one theory and zero evidence for the only other possible theory, it is rational to believe the first and irrational to believe the second.
Conclusion: Therefore, within the domain of causation, there is no evidence that supports atheism and overwhelming evidence that supports theism.
Premise 2: This necessary being either has intentionality or it does not.
Premise 3: If the necessary being has intentionality, then God exists. If it does not have intentionality, then God does not exist.
Premise 4: In all human experience, minds initiate causal sequences; non-minds do not.
Premise 5: Therefore, all evidence supports that the necessary being has intentionality.
Premise 6: If there is overwhelming evidence for one theory and zero evidence for the only other possible theory, it is rational to believe the first and irrational to believe the second.
Conclusion: Therefore, within the domain of causation, there is no evidence that supports atheism and overwhelming evidence that supports theism.
𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝟏
Premise 1: A necessary being exists and initiated the causal sequence that’s responsible for all of reality.
Before I justify this premise let’s get something out of the way immediately. When we speak of a BEING, we simply mean “something that exists.” The word does not mean personality, consciousness, or agency. A rock, a tree, or a cloud is a being in this basic metaphysical sense.
Many atheists misunderstand this point and assume that when philosophers use the word “being,” they’re already assuming some kind of personhood or divinity. That’s not the case. If something is “a being” that simply means it has existence, in other words: “to be = being.”
Now that we have that out of the way let’s discuss types of being. Among all possible beings, there are only two fundamental kinds: contingent beings and necessary beings. A contingent being depends on something else for its existence. It could have failed to exist, and it requires a cause or explanation outside of itself. Everything we observe around us fits this description. A necessary being, by contrast, exists by its very nature. It does not depend on anything else and cannot fail to exist. It exists independently and eternally.
These are the only two possible kinds of beings that can exist. The dichotomy is complete: a being is either contingent or necessary.
We clearly see contingent beings all around us. They come into existence, change, and pass away. None of them can explain their own existence. Each points beyond itself to something else that caused or sustains it. If everything that exists were contingent, then each being would require a cause, and the collection of all contingent beings would itself require an explanation.
To illustrate this, imagine drawing a large circle that contains every contingent being. Everything within this circle depends on something else for it’s existence. Because of this we must now ask: what caused all the things inside the circle to exist? The cause cannot itself be within the circle, because everything inside the circle is contingent and requires a cause. The cause must therefore be outside of the circle, and it cannot itself be contingent, since all contingent beings are already accounted for within the circle. There is only one possible answer. The cause must be a necessary being. Something that exists by its own nature and depends on nothing else for its existence.
A necessary being is not one more thing among many; it is the foundation of all other existence. Its nature is to exist without a cause and to provide the ultimate explanation for why anything exists at all.
Another way to picture this is with a chain that you see suspended in the air. Each link represents a contingent being, and each is held up by the link above it. But no matter how far up you go, the entire chain must be held by something that is not itself a link—something that holds the chain in place. If there were only links, the chain would have nothing to hang from and would not exist at all. The same is true of the universe: the chain of contingent beings must be caused by something non-contingent, a necessary being.
Therefore, since contingent beings exist, and a complete regress of contingent causes cannot explain itself, there must exist a necessary being that initiated and grounds the entire causal sequence of reality.
Premise 1: A necessary being exists and initiated the causal sequence that’s responsible for all of reality.
Before I justify this premise let’s get something out of the way immediately. When we speak of a BEING, we simply mean “something that exists.” The word does not mean personality, consciousness, or agency. A rock, a tree, or a cloud is a being in this basic metaphysical sense.
Many atheists misunderstand this point and assume that when philosophers use the word “being,” they’re already assuming some kind of personhood or divinity. That’s not the case. If something is “a being” that simply means it has existence, in other words: “to be = being.”
Now that we have that out of the way let’s discuss types of being. Among all possible beings, there are only two fundamental kinds: contingent beings and necessary beings. A contingent being depends on something else for its existence. It could have failed to exist, and it requires a cause or explanation outside of itself. Everything we observe around us fits this description. A necessary being, by contrast, exists by its very nature. It does not depend on anything else and cannot fail to exist. It exists independently and eternally.
These are the only two possible kinds of beings that can exist. The dichotomy is complete: a being is either contingent or necessary.
We clearly see contingent beings all around us. They come into existence, change, and pass away. None of them can explain their own existence. Each points beyond itself to something else that caused or sustains it. If everything that exists were contingent, then each being would require a cause, and the collection of all contingent beings would itself require an explanation.
To illustrate this, imagine drawing a large circle that contains every contingent being. Everything within this circle depends on something else for it’s existence. Because of this we must now ask: what caused all the things inside the circle to exist? The cause cannot itself be within the circle, because everything inside the circle is contingent and requires a cause. The cause must therefore be outside of the circle, and it cannot itself be contingent, since all contingent beings are already accounted for within the circle. There is only one possible answer. The cause must be a necessary being. Something that exists by its own nature and depends on nothing else for its existence.
A necessary being is not one more thing among many; it is the foundation of all other existence. Its nature is to exist without a cause and to provide the ultimate explanation for why anything exists at all.
Another way to picture this is with a chain that you see suspended in the air. Each link represents a contingent being, and each is held up by the link above it. But no matter how far up you go, the entire chain must be held by something that is not itself a link—something that holds the chain in place. If there were only links, the chain would have nothing to hang from and would not exist at all. The same is true of the universe: the chain of contingent beings must be caused by something non-contingent, a necessary being.
Therefore, since contingent beings exist, and a complete regress of contingent causes cannot explain itself, there must exist a necessary being that initiated and grounds the entire causal sequence of reality.
President Trump and Secretary Noem have jumpstarted an agency that was hamstrung and barred from doing its job for the last four years.
For the first time in over five decades, The United States is on track to see NEGATIVE NET MIGRATION.
The foreign-born population has declined by 2.2 million this year, which includes the 1.6 million illegal aliens who have voluntarily self-deported and 555,000 deportations.
For the first time in over five decades, The United States is on track to see NEGATIVE NET MIGRATION.
The foreign-born population has declined by 2.2 million this year, which includes the 1.6 million illegal aliens who have voluntarily self-deported and 555,000 deportations.
The Biden Administration’s unrestrained visa vetting put American lives at risk.
Under @Sec_Noem, a new era has dawned for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS agents are now fully empowered by a final rule to enforce the law by prosecuting and removing illegal aliens from the country. With this change, DHS has so far received over 35,000 applications from patriotic Americans to help stop abuse of the U.S. immigration system.
If you want to help us decide who will enter our country, go to: USCIS.GOV/JOIN
Under @Sec_Noem, a new era has dawned for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS agents are now fully empowered by a final rule to enforce the law by prosecuting and removing illegal aliens from the country. With this change, DHS has so far received over 35,000 applications from patriotic Americans to help stop abuse of the U.S. immigration system.
If you want to help us decide who will enter our country, go to: USCIS.GOV/JOIN
For new citizens, USCIS has unveiled the implementation of a new 2025 naturalization civics test, which will assess an alien’s comprehension of U.S. history, government, and proficiency the English language in line with the statutory requirement.
That step will restore integrity to the naturalization process, ensuring that American citizenship remains a safely protected privilege, not a freebie for anyone in the world. Furthermore, it will help guarantee citizens by choice have a keen understanding and appreciation for our tradition, customs, language, and culture, and understand the duty they have to continue American greatness.
That step will restore integrity to the naturalization process, ensuring that American citizenship remains a safely protected privilege, not a freebie for anyone in the world. Furthermore, it will help guarantee citizens by choice have a keen understanding and appreciation for our tradition, customs, language, and culture, and understand the duty they have to continue American greatness.
Trump’s WH is in full-blown panic mode because the Epstein Files bill just crossed the one threshold that changes everything: Adelita Grijalva provided the 218th signature needed to force a House floor vote.
Here’s what happens next, and why it UTTERLY TERRIFIES THEM [Thread 🧵]
Here’s what happens next, and why it UTTERLY TERRIFIES THEM [Thread 🧵]
218 signatures = the dam officially broke.
Quisling Mike Johnson stonewalled on swearing in Rep. Grijalva for 7 weeks FOR THIS EXACT REASON
With her signature, Massie & Khanna’s discharge petition FORCES a House vote PUTTING ALL MEMBERS ON RECORD on releasing the Epstein files
Quisling Mike Johnson stonewalled on swearing in Rep. Grijalva for 7 weeks FOR THIS EXACT REASON
With her signature, Massie & Khanna’s discharge petition FORCES a House vote PUTTING ALL MEMBERS ON RECORD on releasing the Epstein files
Now the House will vote on the bill itself.
Every member goes on the record as standing with the victims or the perpetrators.
And @POLITICO says Republicans are bracing for MASS DEFECTIONS.
Given 4 already bucked leadership just to force this, the floor vote is likely to pass.
Every member goes on the record as standing with the victims or the perpetrators.
And @POLITICO says Republicans are bracing for MASS DEFECTIONS.
Given 4 already bucked leadership just to force this, the floor vote is likely to pass.
"Understanding Viral Evolution: The Shift and Drift Dynamics of Influenza and SARS-CoV-2"
(2nd part)
Antigenic drift and shift are key concepts in virology, particularly for influenza and SARS-CoV-2.
(2nd part)
Antigenic drift and shift are key concepts in virology, particularly for influenza and SARS-CoV-2.
2) Drift refers to small genetic mutations over time, while shift involves major changes, often through reassortment.
For instance, seasonal flu viruses undergo drift, leading to new strains each year. In contrast, SARS-CoV-2 exhibits drift but ...
For instance, seasonal flu viruses undergo drift, leading to new strains each year. In contrast, SARS-CoV-2 exhibits drift but ...
3) ...infrequently undergoes shift, making it relatively stable compared to influenza.
Recent research highlights that shift for coronaviruses, like SARS-CoV-2, can occur through recombination with other coronaviruses, such as MERS-CoV.
Recent research highlights that shift for coronaviruses, like SARS-CoV-2, can occur through recombination with other coronaviruses, such as MERS-CoV.
Amazing!
The missing heritability issue between SNP heritability methods and traditional pedigree-based estimates has now shrunken to just 12%.
Thanks to large-scale whole-genome data and simultaneously estimated phenotypes, there's not much missing heritability left!
The missing heritability issue between SNP heritability methods and traditional pedigree-based estimates has now shrunken to just 12%.
Thanks to large-scale whole-genome data and simultaneously estimated phenotypes, there's not much missing heritability left!
This analysis has several advantages compared to earlier ones.
The most obvious is the whole-genome data combined with a large sample size. All earlier whole-genome heritability estimates have been made using smaller samples, and thus had far greater uncertainty.
The most obvious is the whole-genome data combined with a large sample size. All earlier whole-genome heritability estimates have been made using smaller samples, and thus had far greater uncertainty.
The next big thing is that the SNP and pedigree heritability estimates came from the same sample.
This can matter a lot.
If one sample has a heritability of 0.5 for a trait and another has a heritability of 0.4, it'd be a mistake to chalk the difference up to the method.
This can matter a lot.
If one sample has a heritability of 0.5 for a trait and another has a heritability of 0.4, it'd be a mistake to chalk the difference up to the method.
Roger Froikin wrote, "Reparations for Past Wrongs?
We hear today that California and other states and a number of cities are passing laws and resolutions about reparations for African Americans because of the history of slavery and discrimination.
1)
We hear today that California and other states and a number of cities are passing laws and resolutions about reparations for African Americans because of the history of slavery and discrimination.
1)
Of course, they seem not to have been too concerned with defining who should get reparations.
What happens with all these laws and intentions, I cannot predict, but it seems to me that there is another people that deserves reparations as well.
The Jewish People.
2)
What happens with all these laws and intentions, I cannot predict, but it seems to me that there is another people that deserves reparations as well.
The Jewish People.
2)
Reparations for 2000 years of persecution, discrimination, deprivation, expulsions, engineered by the Vatican and by other Christian denominations, and by governments, and by communists and socialists, and today by the left in the USA, Europe, and Australia.
3)
3)
Introducing Swarms API Updates 👾👾👾
We’re introducing new endpoints that interface with the marketplace, a new multi-agent architecture, global availability in 4 regions, dozens of bug fixes, and much more.
Learn more ⬇️🧵
We’re introducing new endpoints that interface with the marketplace, a new multi-agent architecture, global availability in 4 regions, dozens of bug fixes, and much more.
Learn more ⬇️🧵
2 /
[New] BatchedGridWorkflow Endpoint
The BatchedGridWorkflow is a multi-agent orchestration pattern that executes tasks in a batched grid format, where each agent processes a different task simultaneously.
This workflow is particularly useful for parallel processing scenarios where you have multiple agents and multiple tasks that can be distributed across them.
Docs: docs.swarms.ai/api-reference/…
[New] BatchedGridWorkflow Endpoint
The BatchedGridWorkflow is a multi-agent orchestration pattern that executes tasks in a batched grid format, where each agent processes a different task simultaneously.
This workflow is particularly useful for parallel processing scenarios where you have multiple agents and multiple tasks that can be distributed across them.
Docs: docs.swarms.ai/api-reference/…
3 /
New Marketplace Endpoint 🏪
Now, you can fetch a list of publicly available agents from the Swarms Marketplace.
Docs: docs.swarms.ai/docs/documenta…
New Marketplace Endpoint 🏪
Now, you can fetch a list of publicly available agents from the Swarms Marketplace.
Docs: docs.swarms.ai/docs/documenta…
🧵 At federal court in Sacramento, Dana Williamson (Gov. Newsom’s former COS) was in custody, escorted to hearing room.
She pleaded not guilty to 23 counts against her.
She was in handcuffs wearing what looked like pajamas covered by a gray robe with hair in a small bun…
She pleaded not guilty to 23 counts against her.
She was in handcuffs wearing what looked like pajamas covered by a gray robe with hair in a small bun…
Judge Carolyn Delaney approved her release on a $500k bond.
Williamson could be heard sniffling/softly crying and gave judge a soft “yes” when asked if she understood the terms and conditions of the release…
Williamson could be heard sniffling/softly crying and gave judge a soft “yes” when asked if she understood the terms and conditions of the release…
U.S. Prosecutors flagged concerns with releasing her with the evidence of obstruction of justice against her, false contacts and communication with witnesses.
Williamson’s attorneys pointed her lack of criminal history and a health concern that prevents her from leaving area…
Williamson’s attorneys pointed her lack of criminal history and a health concern that prevents her from leaving area…
🧵 In 2020, while the world was locked down, the BBC and a UK think tank called ISD secretly built the blueprint for global censorship.
They called it “fighting disinformation.”
In reality, it was a digital hit list — the start of a five-year assault on health freedom, truth-tellers, and independent media. 👇
They called it “fighting disinformation.”
In reality, it was a digital hit list — the start of a five-year assault on health freedom, truth-tellers, and independent media. 👇
1️⃣ 🚨 It all began May 2020.
While the world was locked down, the BBC partnered with the UK think tank Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD) to publish what they called a “pioneering investigation” into “COVID-19 disinformation.”
📄 This is the original document: isdglobal.org/wp-content/upl…
While the world was locked down, the BBC partnered with the UK think tank Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD) to publish what they called a “pioneering investigation” into “COVID-19 disinformation.”
📄 This is the original document: isdglobal.org/wp-content/upl…
2️⃣ The report — co-branded by BBC Click and ISD — claimed to have “mapped 80 million interactions with disinformation” and accused 34 websites of spreading “false” information.
But look closely. 👇
Those 34 “disinfo sites” included GreenMedInfo.com, Mercola.com, @EpochTimes, and other alternative or faith-based publishers.🙏
🧩 This was the first blacklist.
Read my 2023 exposé on this network: greenmedinfo.com/blog/expos-glo…
But look closely. 👇
Those 34 “disinfo sites” included GreenMedInfo.com, Mercola.com, @EpochTimes, and other alternative or faith-based publishers.🙏
🧩 This was the first blacklist.
Read my 2023 exposé on this network: greenmedinfo.com/blog/expos-glo…
Bibi: "But I don't run a nation. I run a mafia - my LikudMafia. The nation of Israel is our redoubt."
"And it's been that way since the beginning. Meyer Lansky needed a safe place for his Mafia, away from the US federal govt's prying eyes and hands."
"And you should know
"And it's been that way since the beginning. Meyer Lansky needed a safe place for his Mafia, away from the US federal govt's prying eyes and hands."
"And you should know
better, Yair. You know you're the "controlled opposition". You're filling your role. Once in a while, you'll get to be Prime Minister too, so that we can maintain this veneer of democracy."
"But don't say things too loudly. You know that we're secretly working with the
"But don't say things too loudly. You know that we're secretly working with the
CIAMafia and KremlinMafia to rule the world."
"What we didn't plan for was for China to rise so quickly. They weren't even on the radar in 2000, when we were planning the giant 9/11 Operation. Now they're muscling their way in everywhere: Africa, Iran. Heck, we were THIS
"What we didn't plan for was for China to rise so quickly. They weren't even on the radar in 2000, when we were planning the giant 9/11 Operation. Now they're muscling their way in everywhere: Africa, Iran. Heck, we were THIS
Roger Froikin @rlefraim wrote, "Lessons to be learned and understood
A number of posts in Facebook and Twitter talk about how Israel tried to be the nice guy, leaving Gaza in 2005. Fewer talk about why this was a horrible mistake that needs to be a lesson for the future.
1)
A number of posts in Facebook and Twitter talk about how Israel tried to be the nice guy, leaving Gaza in 2005. Fewer talk about why this was a horrible mistake that needs to be a lesson for the future.
1)
Yes, in 2005-6, Israel withdrew both Jewish residents and IDF troops from Gaza. Farms, homes, businesses were left behind, most to be destroyed by the Arabs who did not seem interested in keeping farms and businesses, and it was all done with a guarantee from the USA and UK.
2)
2)
The promise? If the experiment of local rule in Gaza worked, it could be a model for the “2-state solution”, but if it failed, no one would ever suggest the 2-state solution again.
First of all, the clearest lesson is that the US, UK, and EU lied.
3)
First of all, the clearest lesson is that the US, UK, and EU lied.
3)
